


Gefallen (Fallen)

by DarkrystalSky



Series: Butterfly EffeKt [3]
Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-11-17 09:19:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11272542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkrystalSky/pseuds/DarkrystalSky
Summary: For the longest time, he just stared at the ceiling. Limbs sprawled on what seemed to be a gym mattress, mouth slightly open and eyes wide, as he tried to process the sudden sequence of events that brought him there.“Well,” he stated out loud for no one in particular, staring at the hole that he himself made in the building’s rooftop. “That happened.”-AU in which Weismann doesn't lose his memory when he falls to the ground in a body that doesn't belong to him.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Well, unfortunately for you, I_ do _have an interest!_ **_In your immortality_ ** _!”_

 

For the longest time, he just stared at the ceiling. Limbs sprawled on what seemed to be a gym mattress, mouth slightly open and eyes wide, as he tried to process the sudden sequence of events that brought him there.

 

“Well,” he stated out loud for no one in particular, staring at the hole that he himself made in the building’s rooftop. “ _That happened_.”  
 

-  
 

Kukuri never thought that the school grounds could be so eerie during nighttime. She ran away from the clock tower hoping to run away from that  _huge embarrassment_ that had been Mishina’s love confession.

 

Once again, she hid her face in her palms, although there was no one around her, she still felt ashamed. Not that she  _didn’t like_ Mishina: he was kind, funny and overall nice to be around, but she was completely unable to consider him  _that way_ . He always went too far with his jokes but this took the cake: the whole school was now surely talking about her and  _how rude_ she had been to publicly refuse him like that.

 

Her stream of thought was interrupted by a loud crash that made her jump. It sounded like something, or  _a lot of things_ had just fallen inside a nearby building. She cautiously approached the gym storage building door and slid it open.

 

It took a while for her eyes to get adjusted to the darkness, but the last thing she expected was to find a boy about her age, sitting in the middle of a bunch of wood pieces, holding a small cat in his arms.

 

“Uh? A person?!” She exclaimed, caught off guard. “Who are you?”

 

“Hi, sorry…” he laughed sheepishly. “I’m Adi, what’s your name?”

 

“Yukizome Kukuri,” she introduced herself, still confused. “What are you doing here, Adi- _kun_ ? Are you a student?”

 

“A student? No, no!” he quickly waved a hand to dismiss her question. “As for what I’m doing here...I’m afraid I fell down.”

 

“Fell…?” Kukuri repeated as her eyes followed his to the ceiling. The girl jumped when she realized what he was looking at. “Woah! That’s huge! How did that hole get there?”

 

“It’s my fault, I’m afraid.” Slowly he rose on his feet just to fall right back down with a dumbfounded expression. “Right. Balance. Gotta rework that.”

 

The kitten meowed, he patted its head gently: “I’m alright, just a bit shaken.”

 

Kukuri frowned, concerned about the weird boy, falling through the rooftop, talking to a cat. “What were you doing on the rooftop?”

 

“The roof-” he repeated, sounding confused. “Ah, no, I wasn’t on the rooftop...” he stopped mid-sentence, trying once again to stand up. This time, he succeeded, although he seemed to be a bit wobbly on his legs. “Alright.  _This is so weird_ .” He sighed deeply. The kitten jumped from his hands to his shoulder and to his head. “So, why is a student around here at this time alone?”

 

“My friends are nearby,” Kukuri hesitantly answered, wondering whether to call security or not. “We were allowed to stay up late to prepare for the school festival.”

 

Adi’s face lit up. “A school festival!” he exclaimed joyfully. “I’ve always loved those! All the colored stands, and the costumes, and the fireworks! Never been to one, honestly,” he laughed, the in a blink his expression softened. “Anyway, school festival or not, it’s odd for a girl your age to be around here on her own. Is everything alright?” 

 

Kukuri’s shoulders relaxed. This weird stranger had somehow started to put her at ease without even trying: she didn’t feel alarmed or bothered like common sense told her she should be.

 

“Yeah,” she started, blushing. “Just, that idiot Mishina confessed to me…”

 

“Oh-oh!” Adi smirked, a hand on his chin. “That kind of deal…”

 

Kukuri did her best to ignore the last comment. “...in front of the whole school, on top of the clock tower.”

 

Adi’s smile fell. “Ouch,” he commented. “Forced you to say yes?”

 

“No, quite the opposite.” She murmured. “I dumped him and ran away...and now everybody’s gonna think I’m some kind of jerk because I humiliated him and he’s gonna be reminded of his failure every day and...I feel awful because Mishina doesn’t deserve any of that! He’s a nice guy, just not the one that I’d...date.”

 

“So you ran away,” Adi smiled crookedly. His shoulders got all hunched, like he suddenly went defensive towards her.  _After getting her to spill the beans nonetheless_ . “I can relate to that…”

 

Kukuri pouted, hands on her hips. “There, I’ve told you my reasons. Now it’s your turn to answer: who are you? What are you doing here? And where did you fell from if not from the rooftop?”

 

“So many questions,” he tried to laugh it off before he met the girl’s determined stare and swallowed nervously. “Well, long story short, I got kicked out of my home.”

 

Kukuri’s expression softened. “You’re homeless?”

“Uh? No, not quite. Actually I  _could_ go right back, I guess,” he pensively looked up at the sky through the ceiling, “but that could create complications. I wonder if he thinks I’m dead, that would put me in advantage…” he started musing with a hand on his chin.

 

“Dead?!” Kukuri cried. “What the hell did you got yourself into? Is it a gang? The Yakuza?”

 

“Nothing like that, just a dangerous guy with a dangerous power…” he mused out loud, before looking straight at her, cocking his head to the side. “You are not familiar with matters concerning the Kings, are you?”

 

“Kings? As in...the Emperor?”

 

“No. Sorry, it was a stupid question,” he shook his head with a disarming smile.

 

“Kukuri?” Another girl’s voice called just moments before a girl with black hair appeared on the door. “There you are, girl. Everybody’s looking for y-” The girl’s eyes stopped on Adi, who cheerfully waved at her.

 

“Sumika…” Kukuri started, “Sorry I-”

 

“Oh-oh, I see!” Sumika grinned, crossing her arms. “How sly of you, Kukuri. To run into the arms of another lover right off the bat…”

 

Both Kukuri and Adi blushed, caught off-guard by the comment.

 

“It’s not like that!” Kukuri slapped her friend’s forehead. Sumika just laughed, until she spotted the cat on top of Adi’s head.

 

“How cute!” she squealed, lunging forward and petting the kitten despite the latter’s attempt to escape into the collar of Adi’s jacket. “Is it your cat? It’s too clean to be a stray! It looks like a baby, where’s the mother?”

 

“She’s alone, I found her in here!”

 

“I see! What are you doing in here anyway? Trying to avoid helping with the festival preparations?” Sumika wondered, without stopping for a second her attempts to pet the kitten.

 

“I’m not a...” Adi tried to say, but stopped after a moment of hesitation, as he looked down at himself before talking again. “Is this your school’s uniform?” He asked, pointing at himself.

 

Kukuri sighed, simultaneously blessing and cursing her friend’s directness pointing right at the critical topic.

 

Sumika put her hands on her hips, looking at him with an arched eyebrow: “Uh,  _yeah_ .” She answered sarcastically. “You even got the ID pin on your collar.”

 

“I...see…” Adi said, slowly, fiddling with said pin. He seemed to alternate moments of cheerfulness with those of uneasiness sporadically. Whatever his situation was, Kukuri was sure he needed help, and she was determined to assist.

 

“Anyway, Kukuri,” Sumika said. “Prez is looking for you to help dealing with the mess. Apparently, one of the papier-mache chariots caught on fire…”

 

Kukuri nodded slowly: “I understand, I’ll be right back…” she blushed.

 

Sumika sighed and patted her on the shoulder: “Look, girl. I can say you didn’t feel well. Just, go straight to your room and rest for real. And you!” She pointed at Adi, who jolted with surprise. “Get back to work with your class.”

 

“Right,” he laughs sheepishly, “to be completely honest, as I said, I’m not a student here. This is not my... _clothes_ ,” he seemed to correct himself at the last moment.

 

“Uh?” Sumika was only able to say, as she stared at him.

 

“I think he’s homeless, he said something like he got evicted,” Kukuri whispered, pulling back her friend. “Maybe he’s a dropout but he doesn’t look like a bad person.”

 

The long haired girl seemed to ponder about something, then nodded. “All right. If you don’t have a place to go, you can stay at my room for tonight.  _There’s no way_ I’m letting you go with Kukuri or stay here in the middle of winter.”

 

“Sumika!” Kukuri exclaimed, shocked.

 

“I’m staying at a mixed dorm anyway. But do  _anything_ funny and I’m gonna call the police.”

 

Adi gave her a big, earnest grin. “Thank you! I might need someplace to stay while I sort things out! You’re a big help!”

 

Sumika huffed, crossing her arms, before he started pushing Kukuri towards the entrance. “Come on, off to bed, you…” she prompted her, as they all walked towards the door.

 

The two girls had already walked away from the building when Sumika turned around to see the boy looking at the sky with a concerned expression. “What’s wrong?” She called.

 

Adi walked up into the building. Before the girls could go back to check on him, though, he’d already came back out, this time holding a paper umbrella that had been amidst the other props stored in the building.

 

“The sky’s clear, it’s not gonna rain,” Sumika commented at the open umbrella.

 

“It’s not the rain I’m concerned about,” he smiled mischievously at them, “but a nosy little thief.”

 

“Right…” Sumika narrowed her eyes, staring at him warily as she suspected he wasn’t all right in the head after all. She glanced upwards just to spot the Sky Whale floating westward: the airship was not an uncommon sight in Tokyo but yet, tonight, she felt a little restless looking at it for some reason.

 

She hoped it was nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, I actually wrote a chapter two....
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Don't get used to it.

_Friday, December 14th_

 

“So, Sumika- _chan_ ” Kukuri approached her as the lunch break started. “Not to be nosy, but...why is he still around?” She nodded towards Adi, sitting in the back of the classroom, chatting with a group of their classmates.

 

Sumika sighed, eating a piece of meat from her bento box. “He still has no place to go, and he’s actually helping me with studying.”

 

Kukuri frowned and leaned closer to her friend, lowering her voice. “Are the two of you, by any chance…”

 

Sumika almost choked on her food. “No way!” she coughed, blushing to the tip of her ears. “I’m not into...him.” she blurted out, glancing sideways at the bottom of the room.

 

Adi was amicably chatting with the students, mingling in effortlessly. Kukuri almost wanted to get closer, wondering what he was talking about.

 

“And what’s with the robot?” she asked instead, noticing the cleaning robot at the center of attention.

 

“He  _repurposed it_ ,” Sumika made a quotation marks gesture. “He calls it  _Wattson_ . Still cleans my room, it also follows him wherever he goes.  _God knows why_ .” She lied. She knew exactly why.

 

-

 

_Saturday, December 8th_

 

Sumika regretted leaving the strange boy alone while she went to school, the very instant she got back in her room during lunch break.

 

“What  _in the name of sanity_ are  _you doing_ ?” She screamed at the devastating mess in the middle of her room. The cleaning robot previously stationed in the kitchenette was completely dismembered: parts and open wires scattered around. Adi seemed busy working on a circuit board using the robot’s core as a terminal.

 

“Signal scrambler,” he said, barely raising his head. “Sorry about this guy, I'll fix him up when I'm done.”

 

“Can you?” Sumika asked skeptically, tapping her foot.

 

“Sure. Robotics isn't exactly my field but I'm good at it.” Adi smiled confidently. “I need a scrambler to move around campus: too many cameras, the parasol isn’t enough.”

 

The kitten meowed.

 

“We can play outside once I'm done, be patient for now.”

 

Sumika raised an eyebrow: he was still talking with the cat.  _What a weirdo_ . “The kitchen’s a disaster. I'm just gonna buy lunch at the cafeteria, you want something?”

 

“No thanks.” He went back to focus on his work. “Sorry for messing up your room. I'm gonna leave as soon as I finish this.”

 

“Good.” The girl scoffed. “I’m only letting you stay here because Kukuri wanted to help you and because your cat is incredibly cute.”

 

“I know,” he gave her a totally unapologetic grin, “thank you.”

 

The girl snorted. “If robotics ain’t your field, what  _is_ your field exactly?” she wondered what he used to do before appearing in the gym storage.

 

“I’m a biophysicist,” he answered naturally. Sumika gave him a skeptical look when he raised his head to meet her eyes. “For real! I just got stuck into an unpleasant  _condition_ right now.”

 

More prone to not believing him than doing so, Sumika sighed deeply. “Look, will you help me with studying later?” She offered, nonchalantly. Biophysicist or not, if she got him to help maybe she could verify if he was really just a weirdo or as smart as he claimed to be.

 

Adi’s head shot up with a weird glint in his eyes. “That I can do! I was wondering how to repay you for the hospitality, that’s perfect!”

 

-

 

As she got closer, Kukuri couldn’t help but marvel at how easily the weird boy started mingling and socializing with the rest of the classroom. He seemed completely at ease and answered their curious questions nonchalantly.

 

He wasn’t wearing the school uniform anymore, instead swapping it for a white shirt, brown sport jacket and denim trousers, and yet he somehow managed not to clash with the atmosphere around him.

 

“Wait, so you’ve never been on a school campus before?”

 

“Nope, I was homeschooled.”

 

“Are you staying for the school festival?”

 

“I hope so! What’s your class project?”

 

“A play about Ebisu’s legend! Katagiri plays Ebisu!”

 

“That’s awesome! if there’s anything I can do to help…” Adi trailed off as he noticed Kukuri and Sumika approaching. He shot the girls a big grin. “I’m making friends!” he exclaimed with almost childish joy.

 

“I can see that,” Sumika scoffed. “Kukuri here works for the student council. She said they need someone to pick up some fireworks in Shizume, they’re already been paid for.”

 

“I’ll go! I have things to do in the city…”

 

“Actually,” Kukuri interrupted him. “I’m sorry, it has to be a student. Since the school’s already paid, you’ll need an ID pin to get them.”

 

“I see,” he sighed, regretting having thrown away the pin along with the bloodstained uniform.

 

“We’ve already sorted this out. I’m going.” Sumika said. “But I’ll need help taking them back so come with me. We can take care of this errand and of your business in one go.”

 

“Yeah! Thanks, Inaba- _san_ !”

 

The cat, perched on his shoulder, meowed with excitement. If he concentrated, he could actually hear her saying “we’re going out! We’re going out!”

 

-

 

_Sunday, December 9th_

 

“I know you’re not really a cat,” he told her gently as soon as Sumika left them alone. The kitten jumped down the table and stared back with a glint of fear in its small eyes. “It’s an impressive power, but it’s not gonna work on me,” he laughed, “I’m not gonna hurt you, I just wanna know who you are.”

 

The illusion melted away, leaving behind a young girl, curled up on the floor. Without missing a beat, or showing any sign of distraught, Adi petted her head. “It’s alright. What’s your name?”

 

“I  _am_ a cat…” she pouted, shying away from his hand.

 

Adi laughed and shrugged: “Alright. Maybe you’re really just a strain cat with the ability to turn into a human, I don’t care. Why stick up with me?”

 

“‘cause, ‘cause…” she got closer, “you didn’t kick me or shoo me away, and you were so kind…”

 

“I don’t know how well I can take care of you, right now,” he sighed. “I’m in a bit of a weird situation…”

 

They both heard the room door opening and the girl poofed back into the form of a cat and hid behind Adi just as Sumika entered the room, holding two plastic bags.

 

“Oh, you’re awake.” She nodded. “Look, I have cram school so I can’t stay, but I got you some spare clothes.” Sumika threw the plastic bag at him. “Burn that bloody mess, it won’t help you find a job...or whatever you’re looking for.”

 

“Thanks! I’m not exactly looking for a job though…” he chuckled, starting to unbutton his shirt. Sumika blushed lightly and turned towards the window.

 

“A-anyway! Change quickly and tell me when you’re done.”

 

Sumika Inaba was the only daughter of a high class family in the Sendai region. The earthquake and tsunami of nearly two years prior prompted them to move to Tokyo and shortly after that, she became an Ashinaka Student.

 

She was well versed in the arts of  _ikebana_ and tea ceremony, as well as a brilliant girl at the top of her class, but the few who knew her directly knew her meek and polite attitude masked a very resolute and determined girl.

 

“Look,” she crossed her arms, “You’re not staying here for more than you need. If the staff finds out you’re free lodging here I’m in a mess.”

 

“I know, sorry” he laughed with embarrassment, as he slipped on the new, slightly oversized clothes. “I’m still not sure what to do next. I have to try getting back to my place, but I have no idea how that might be possible…” he muttered to himself, “Also, I’ve got to warn the Lieutenant, although he’s no fool he might not get wind of what’s going on until it’s too late…”

 

“Lieutenant?” Sumika’s voice brought him back to reality.

 

Adi jolted, as if he momentarily forgot she was in the room. “Yeah, old friend of mine.”

 

“Can’t you ask him for help?”

 

“That’s the plan, but I have no idea how to contact him.” He frowned. “I’m not even sure if I can without getting unwanted attention...” he added under his breath.

 

“Where does he live?”

 

“Nanakamado. You can turn around now.”

 

Sumika complied and looked him up and down. “Yeah, it works. Sorry for the size, they’re a friend’s spare. Nanakamado isn’t that far, you can take the train.”

 

Adi smiled awkwardly as he started stuffing the plastic bag with the uniform he was previously  wearing. “He’s a bit...unapproachable, especially without making a scene.”

 

The newly assembled cleaning robot took the bag and tossed it into the main body to incinerate it.

 

“Thanks Wattson.”

 

“ _You’re too kind_ .” The robot replied in a deep voice.

 

“Wattson?” Sumika wondered, eyeing the robot suspiciously. Apparently he successfully rebuilt it, the boy might not be as insane as she initially thought.

 

Adi beamed. “Yeah!  _Watt_ like the unit of energy transfer and  _Watson_ like Sherlock’s assistant!”

 

“Oh my God,” Sumika sighed, unable to suffocate a small laugh. “You’re a nerd.”

 

“Sorry,” he replied with a smile that had nothing apologetic to it. “So, you said you needed help with studying? Do you mind if I come with you to cram school?”

 

Sumika blinked, taken aback by the request. “I guess it’s not a problem…”

 

The mysteries surrounding the boy kept adding to each other, but Sumika decided to keep an eye on him for the time being. This was going to be an interesting experience.

 

-

 

_Friday, December 14th_

 

“So, I have theories.” Sumika blurted out, as the suspended train speeded under the bridge connecting Ashinaka to the mainland. Adi was looking out of the window with the unbridled glee of someone who  _clearly_ never took a train before and once again the girl couldn’t help but be confused by his behaviour.

 

“Theories?” Adi turned to face her with curiosity.

 

“About you.” She clarified. “Since you always avoid my questions.”

 

Surprising her once again, the boy pouted. “I don’t  _avoid_ , I’ve always been honest with you. it’s just that you wouldn’t believe me if I told you the whole truth.”

 

“You wouldn’t understand! You wouldn't believe!” She mocked him, exasperated. “I’m not an idiot, you know?”

 

Adi’s eyes widened with surprise just before he smiled bitterly. “I never thought you were. Just...I realistically know my situation is more than bizarre.”

 

“Are you an alien?”

 

Adi blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

 

“Are you an alien?” Sumika repeated, showing off her most unimpressed expression. “Because that’s the most bizarre theory I’m ready to believe…”

 

After a moment of shock, Adi burst out laughing so loud a few people in the train car actually turned towards them to see what the ruckus was all about. Sumika blushed deeply, eyeing her surroundings with embarrassment.

 

“S-stop it! It was perfectly reasonable!” she stuttered. The train slowed down and stopped.

 

“I’m not laughing at you,” he was quick to reassure her, between one fit of laughter and the other. “I’m laughing because I am, in fact, a foreigner*. I’ve lived in Japan most of my life, though…”

 

It took a while for those words to finally sink in, as the girl was too embarrassed to reply. “A foreigner…” she repeated, then narrowed her eyes, “you look Japanese tho.”

 

“Yeah, that…” Adi rubbed the back of his head, “that’s the part hard to believe.  _This is not my_ …”

 

“ _Shizume City. This is Shizume City._ ” The train speakers announced. Realizing their distraction had almost caused them to miss their stop, the two of them bolted on their feet and rushed outside just a moment before the automatic doors closed.

 

“Well, that was a close one,” Sumika wheezed once she managed to catch her breath. “You were saying?”

 

Adi was staring in shock at the train, speeding away from the platform. The boy looked even paler than usual.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

He slowly turned to face her with a tense smile. “I left Wattson on the train.”

 

-

 

“ _The fire lights, showing the shadow of a foreign king_ .”

 

-

 

Sumika sighed for the umpteenth time and dragged Adi behind her as they crossed the road of the main crossing in Shizume city. Adi walked behind her, looking like a beaten puppy, his head down, clinging to the open parasol.

 

“Of all things,” she blurted, “I never thought you’d be  _so fricking paranoid_ . What are you even afraid of.”

 

“I’m not afraid,” he glared at her from under the rim of the parasol. “But I don’t know where  _he_ is right now and I want to avoid him realizing I’m still alive.”

 

Sumika raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment until they finally reached their destination. The fireworks show was pretty small but quite busy seeing Christmas and New Year were getting close.

 

As the shop owner went into the back of the shop to get their order, she spoke again. “Look, sorry to be so irritated but the fact is that I...I have no idea who you are, Adi- _kun_ . You could be a dangerous criminal for all I know.”

 

“Do you really think I could be one?” He asked earnestly. “A criminal?”

 

Sumika hesitated before answering. “Ok, maybe not a criminal but…” she trailed off. On the other side of the road, outside of the shop, a boy on a skateboard darted across the road towards them, holding a baseball bat that _apparently was on fire_ .

 

Adi must have had a sixth sense or something because he turned around just before the boy jumped above the shop entrance, flames surrounding his skateboard and weapon, staring down at them with a maniacal grin on his face.

 

“I found you, Fox-Faced son of a bitch!” he screamed just before slamming the bat right on top of his head.

 

-

 

Adolf K. Weismann had been through  _a lot_ during the last week. Reacquainting himself in dealing with people was the least and actually most pleasant of the issues he had to deal with. Getting used to being a disembodied conscience inhabiting the body of a Japanese teenager was the worst.

 

It wasn't just getting adjusted to a whole new perspective, balance and coordination. It wasn't just being almost unable to look at his passing reflection without shivering. The worst part was being unable to explain his situation to any of the students, not even to the one who actually helped him lots by giving him food and shelter. Sumika was smart and kind and just a little sassy, but that kept their conversations interesting, and yet he feared, no,  _he knew_ she would instantly kick him out if he tried to explain her the truth. His one and only confidant had been the nameless strain masquerading as a cat that took a liking to him as he fell, but her naivety and childishness although refreshing were useless in practical terms. Yet, her powers could come in handy, especially as he was trying to lay low.

 

Proving the truth to Sumika, getting back to his airship, finding Lieutenant and discuss this with him, these immediately were feasible options if he decided to use his Sanctum. And yet, that option was risky.

 

The Colorless King was now playing the part of the Silver King, soaring the skies above Tokyo, looking down at the ground with a near perfect surveillance system Adi built himself and took pride in for such a long time. He didn't manage to steal his power, but he did manage to steal his  _position and resources_ . He could have an influence on the other clans and even bring the whole country on the brink of destruction if he exploited those two assets.

 

Adolf had absolutely no idea what to expect, but he knew one thing. If the Colorless King thought he was dead he could move freely and warn the other clans before chaos ensued. But although he kept a low profile, chaos ensued anyway: that morning he had  _felt_ it, resonating in the core of his being, the ring of interference between two Sancti colliding. Two Kings fighting each other.

 

He accompanied Sumika into the city, hoping to get wind of what was happening and hopefully managing to contact one of the Gold Clansmen overseeing the city. Then, at the worst possible moment, he  _lost_ his signal scrambler, built appropriately for the  _Himmelreich’_ s surveillance system to malfunction and being unable to pick his image.

 

And during all this, during this whole ordeal he managed to  _forget_ the most important detail, the one he should have really kept an eye on and fix from the very beginning.

 

The Colorless King killed a Red Clansman.  _He proclaimed himself to be the Seventh King while wearing that very face Adolf now had_ . And HOMRA was after his blood.

 

So when the Red Clansman attacked, having virtually no time to react, he forgot completely he was supposed to keep a low profile. And protected himself, Sumika, and the fireworks shop by summoning his Sanctum. 

 

The barrier Adolf summoned tossed a very surprised Red Clansman feet away: he landed on top of a parked car, whose alarm immediately went off.

 

“What?! What just happened?! What did you do?” Sumika cried, looking around in panic.

 

A motorcycle stopped near the fallen Clansman, two more HOMRA members had just arrived and Adolf could only imagine that many others were to follow. No time to lose, the Weismann Level detection systems on the ship and in possession of the Blue Clan probably already picked his biological signature up. He had to run.

 

“Neko!” he called. The cat poofed back into the pink haired girl, wearing a poncho stolen from Sumika’s closet and  _nothing else_ .

 

“Who are you?  _These are my_ …” Sumika started bot Adolf interrupted her.

 

“Neko, bring back Sumika to the island safely.” he petted her head gently but kept his expression determined.

 

“No, I'm not leaving my Adi!” she clinged on his arm just as the thugs from HOMRA once again approached them.

 

“I'll be fine, please just go!” he pushed her towards the other girl and, after one last smile, he darted away in the opposite direction.

 

HOMRA was unruly, destructive. He needed to get them away from the busier areas and  _then_ talk to them. Let them throw all the fire and bullets at him, he wouldn't be hurt. For the first time since he became the Silver King, he blessed his power of  _unchangeability._ Once they realized he was immortal, he could probably get to reason with them and use them to get to the other Kings. 

 

-

 

_He didn't count the Black Dog_ . Honestly, though, this time he wasn't to blame: he didn't even know the former Colorless King’s vassal was in Tokyo, lest that he was following the man he believed to be the new Seventh King.

 

“Wow, that…” he finally managed to say when he was brutally tossed on the floor of the skyscraper’s rooftop. “That's an amazing power! Spatial distortion, you're litterally bending the very fabric of the spacetime continuum!” he explained with glee at the young boy who was staring at him with and indecipherable solemn expression. “The possibilities are  _just_ so fascinating…” he trailed off, “Ah, thanks for saving me, but I wasn't in any real…”

 

The Black Dog clicked his tongue. “Save you?” he repeated with spite. “You're wrong. Let me correct you: I simply avoided the Red Clan to bring you judgement before I could.” With a sharp metallic noise, the Colorless Clansman unsheathed the fine katana he had by his side.

 

Adolf slumped. “Great! Another who wants to kill me…” he groaned, rising on his feet. “Look,  _you've got the wrong man_ . I'm not the Colorless King, even if you want to you'll not be able to hurt-”

 

A soft whistle as the blade cut through the air was the only thing that announced the sharp and sudden pain on his cheek.

 

“Cease your prattle, cur. I've seen what you're capable of.”

 

In a state of stupor, Adolf slowly touched his own cheek and observed with shock the red blood staining his fingers.

 

“Did you just  _cut me_ ?” he tried to ask, but that came out as a whine. The cut pulsed, refusing to heal an _d this was entirely unexpected_ .

 

That sword was somehow able to cut through his Sanctum. This man, who had the very clear intention of taking his life, had in his possession a  _weapon that could bypass his invulnerability._

 

“Nope.” Without even a second  thought, Adolf turned around and jumped over the guardrail of the rooftop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * "takokujin" means both "foreigner" and "alien" Yes it's a pun. It's (almost) canon that Adolf does puns (Gakuen K canon).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why am I continuing this? It's the only thing I've got inspiration for recently. As usual, don't take updates for granted.

Sumika felt her legs wobble as soon as she closed the door of the apartment behind her. Without even attempting to grab on something to stay on her feet, she slumped on the ground and let the bag with the fireworks fall and spread its contents on the kitchenette floor.

 

In front of her, the weird cat-girl who brought her home was moving frantically, trying to understand what to do next. Finally, she kneeled in front of Sumika, panic painted all over her face.

 

“We have to save Adi!” she cried.

 

Sumika weakly looked up at her mismatched eyes, clouded with worry. “I know,” she admitted, “but how? We don’t even know where he is.”

 

The girl looked around and darted on her feet, pacing restlessly around the room until a knock on the door made both girls jump with surprise and the mysterious girl changed back into a cat to hide under the table in the room.

 

“Yes?” Sumika called, without moving.

 

“Sumika-chan, you’re back?” Kukuri’s familiar voice called from outside. Sumika sighed and stood on her feet to open the door.

 

“Did you get everyt - woah, you’re so pale! Is everything alright?”

 

Unable to come up with any kind of coherent answer, Sumika silently hugged her classmate, looking for comfort in the warm embrace of a the person she cared about most of all.

 

-

 

Meanwhile, in a completely different part of the city. The headquarters of the Blue Clan, SCEPTER 4, was fully operational. While they didn’t take part directly in the confrontation in Shizume City, they were now examining the collected data.

 

The leader of said Clan, the Blue King Munakata Reishi, was sitting in his office, waiting for his second and third in command to relay to him the final results. On the holographic screen in front of him, four video clips were playing in a loop.

 

Awashima Seri cleared her throat before starting to expose. “There were three instances where an unregistered spike of power rose above the background noise. We have a good match on security footage for two of them and a thrid clip that relates indirectly to the third.” She glanced sideways at Fushimi, who was keeping his head down, barely covering a smirk: he was the source of the video a HOMRA clansman had sent to him by mistake (apparently not deleting his number from his mailing list).

 

With a flick of the wrist, Munakata enlarged the first video: the inside of a tricks shop. Only two people appeared to be inside: the owner and a high school girl. The girl was talking animately with someone standing just outside the shop: their faces were hidden but the two people immediately piqued Munakata’s interest. The boy was gripping tightly the handle of an umbrella, despite the clear sky outside, and the other girl was naked from her navel downwards and yet no passerby seemed to care or notice. The discussion Munakata could only imagine was taking place was interrupted by a blurry movement as the Red Clan’s signature magenta flames appeared from the road. The boy let go of the umbrella and extended a hand: something like a shockwave expanded from his body and repelled the flames before they could reach him or any of the merchandise in the shop. The video looped back to the beginning.

  
“Some kind of defensive barrier. This was the event that triggered our alarms?” the Blue King inquired.

 

“Yes,” Awashima nodded. “The time frame is 18:13 and it coincides with the Weissman Level spike at that time. Although...the biological resonance fades back into the background immediately afterwards. He must have a great control over his sanctum: is this even possible for a fledgling king?”

 

“We don’t know if he’s really the Colorless King,” Fushimi mumbled. “He declared himself to be, but that doesn’t mean anything. He could be a very tricky Strain for all we know.”

 

“A Strain powerful enough to slip through HOMRA’s fingers…” Awashima added.

 

The Blue King didn’t comment or reply, instead he switched to the second video: a blurry 15-seconds loop of a figure falling from above in the middle of the sidewalk, stumbling to catch the umbrella that fell shortly after him and running away.

 

Fushimi spoke this time. “The fall coincides with the second spike. We can assume he used his powers again to shield himself from the fall. We didn’t know which floor he fell from but from the terminal velocity we can assume he was quite…” he stopped mid-sentence, frowning while studying the clip from his own terminal.

 

“Something wrong?” the Blue King inquired.

 

“Call it a hunch but isn’t there something wrong with this video?” The younger man mumbled. “Isn’t he falling  _too fast_ ?”

 

Munakata arched an eyebrow: there was something troubling him about the sequence too. Not the fact that the boy was apparently unharmed after he landed but now that Fushimi pointed it out, the boy’s terminal velocity was faster than the closed umbrella.

 

“This can’t be possible, maybe there’s some frames missing?” Awashima noted. “To change the speed of fall you’d have to mess with…”

 

“Gravity.” Munakata shivered with anticipation, as a smile broke through his stern expression. “Oh?”

 

-

 

Kukuri poured hot tea in two cups she then brought with her into the room, where Sumika was sitting in silence, apparently very intent on staring at Adi’s white cat.

 

“Mind telling me what’s going on, then?” Kukuri said, sitting in front of her.

 

Sumika swallowed, wrapping her hands around the warm mug but making no motion to raise it or drink the tea. “I’m not sure,” she started. Her eyes moved to the kitten, “maybe you could help explaining…”

 

Kukuri looked at her weirdly during the few seconds before the cat again transformed into the half-naked girl.

 

“What…”

 

“And you don’t know half of it…” Sumika sighed.

 

-

 

“What do you mean you sent it to  _Fushimi_ of all people?” HOMRA’s vanguard, Yata Misaki, screamed at his fellow Clansman once they retreated in the bar they used as a headquarters.

Shohei Akagi laughed awkwardly. “I forgot to erase him from the contacts and I just  _had to_ show everyone, Yata- _san_ .”

 

The burly Kamamoto had to grab Yata with both hands before he could throw himself at the older boy in rage, eventually destroying the furniture and incurring into Kusanagi’s rage.

 

Another clansman, Saburota Bando, was sitting on a sofa, apparently unfazed by the whole diatribe, examining on his PDA the video at the center of discussions. “This is just plain weird, though. What kind of power is that?”

 

“I know, right? What the fuck!” Yata exclaimed, apparently successfully distracted from his intention of reducing Shohei to a pulp. “He just pushed me and the next second I can’t grab on anything anymore  _and you bastard instead of helping you started filming me_ !”

 

“You were hilarious…” Shohei giggled in his own defense.

 

“You’re digging your own grave…” Yata growled.

 

Bando didn’t even bother to distract him again.

 

-

 

Kukuri listened patiently to everything Sumika told her. They had been friends since Middle School, and she trusted her completely but even after seeing a cat turn into a girl  _several times_ she had a hard time understanding what her friend was trying to say.

 

“I don’t think he’s a bad person. No, I know he’s not!” Sumika exclaimed once she had finished telling what she knew. “But that video...Kukuri, it was  _everywhere_ in the city, even on my PDA, and  _it was him_ . With the same clothes of the night we met him…” she hiccuped, a hand on her mouth.

  
“That wasn’t Adi! There’s no way that was him!” Neko cried, jumping on her feet. “Adi is kind! And smart!”

 

Kukuri nodded slowly. “I might not know him that well. But the person on the video that went viral obviously  _wanted_ to be recognized. I guess it’s plausible that he wanted Adi to be framed…”

 

Sumika looked in awe at her friend, eyes watering. “Yes! Yes, that has to be it!”

 

“But if that’s the case why was he so adamant on hiding? You said it yourself he was  _paranoid_ of going into the city without his robot!”

 

“I guess I can explain that.”

 

The girls screamed, both in surprise when they noticed the boy that had been at the center of their discussion standing in the balcony outside the glass, and in shock when in fact they realized he was pretty much  _covered in his own blood_ , trickling down his fingers from a wide gash on his shoulder.

 

Sumika jumped on her feet and slammed open the glass door. “How did you get here? We’re on the  _fifth floor_ !” She shrieked.

 

Without missing a beat, Neko threw herself at the boy’s neck. He grimaced with pain but didn’t fight her. “Sorry, I think I need help before…” he stopped, falling down on his knees.

 

Meanwhile, as she recovered from the shock, Kukuri had immediately retrieved the emergency kit from the kitchen.

 

“ _We’re on the fifth floor_ !” Sumika repeated again, with more emphasis. She wanted to help, but before that, before anything else, she wanted an explanation on at least  _one_ of the several impossible things she witnessed that day.

 

“ _I can fly_ , alright?!” he snapped, taking her by surprise. “Well, less like flying more like manipulating the gravitational pull vector…” he muttered. “Sorry,” he added immediately afterwards.

 

Sumika opened and closed her mouth for a few time, unable to think about  _any_ kind of reply to that.

 

“We should call the hospital…” Kukuri tried, her voice bringing her back to reality.

 

“No hospitals. Sorry, but the city will be off-limits for me for a while.” He grimaced, “I messed up, I messed up so bad…” There was a hint of tears in his eyes, he was obviously fighting the pain as best as he could.

 

Sumika shook her head. “Ok.” She repeated, trying to get a grip on reality. There was an injured person in front of her, and injured  _friend_ who asked for her help. That was her reality and the first thing to take care of. “But when we’re done you’re gonna tell me  _everything_ . I don’t wanna hear stories about me not believing or similar. I’ve seen enough bullshit today to believe you’re  _frigging Clark Kent_ .”

 

Despite everything, Adi laughed softly. “I will. Sorry. I promise.”

 

“Let’s take off that jacked, first. It’s busted anyway,” she ordered, kneeling in front of him and grasping a pair of scissors from the kit. This was going to be a long night.

 

-

 

The bar was empty when the door opened, a soft jingle alerting the owner, Kusanagi Izumo, of the first client of the night. It had been a long and messy day and he was almost going to keep the bar closed, but a job was a job and while Mikoto, the Red King was absent, it was on him to keep at least a semblance of normality in that place.

 

Semblance that was broken once he saw who said first client was.

 

“Well,” Kusanagi sighed. “Welcome, Lieutenant Awashima Seri of SCEPTER 4.”

 

“I told you to keep it informal when it’s off work hours.”

 

The man smiled fondly. “Well, what can I give you,  _Seri-chan_ ?”

 

“The usual. Five this time.” She took off her coat and sat down elegantly.

 

Kusanagi groaned as he took out of the refrigerator the jar of red bean paste. “Red Bean Paste in a cocktail,” he muttered, “every time you ask for this, a barman dies somewhere in the world.”

 

As he slid the glass of alcohol towards the woman, she slid towards him her PDA, showing a video on loop.

 

“What’s this?” he arched an eyebrow? “I thought you said you were off-work.”

 

“I am. Just asking for your opinion.” She sipped, looking intently at him from above the rim of the glass.

 

Kusanagi looked at the phone, showing a bewildered Yata floating a few feet above ground, tossing about and attempting unsuccessfully to grab anything to pull himself back on the ground. “So  _this_ is the video that made Yata so angry. I couldn't believe it when they told me, he’s really floating isn’t he?”

 

“What happened exactly?”

 

Kusanagi shrugged, giving her back the phone. “He said he managed to corner the suspect, but this one apologized and suddenly pushed him  _up_ . The next thing he knows, he’s floating like that and the Fox guy is running away. He was already injured, according to Shohei, so I guess he was running from the Black Dog. We’ve got word that he also was on his tail.”

 

Seri frowned. “So he just touched him? It certainly aligns with what the Captain said.”

 

Kusanagi arched an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

 

“That this guy can manipulate gravity.” She stated. “We have another piece of evidence.”

 

“Gravity, uh? That’s a troublesome power.” The man mused. Something troubled him, though. “Wait a second, wait a-” he paled. “I know it’s just a legend but isn’t that…”

 

Awashima nodded. “You realized it as well. And it’s not a legend, it’s a fact.”

 

Kusanagi sat down behind the counter. “Well, this is disturbing. What the hell is going on?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Don't even ask _what the hell **this is**_. It just started like a random AU idea and then it evolved on its own while I was writing. (Sumika wasn't even supposed to be there and yet she became a main character?!)  
>  Anyway, this is gonna focus on the relationship between Weismann, Neko and the school kids. Don't ask me where I'm going with this because I don't even know.


End file.
